Desert Bluegrass Association GRASS CLIPPINGS

Volume 15 Issue 1 April/May 2010 State of the Grass by President "Doc" Simpson State of the shops are free ! We wouldn’t meaningful given that her Grass have this incredible series if husband Jim is one of the “Doc” Simp- not for the vision and efforts counselors in the program.

son, April of Marshall. Speaking of Bonnie – she

2010 Charlie’s jams at Vero Amore was our second annual re- Greetings restaurant have been well at- cipient of the Turquoise Bluegrass tended and fun to perform at. Award. This is a tradition Aficionados. Excellent job Charlie. Bill we have started in an effort What a great Trapp and Rich Erico con- to give recognition and ex- couple of months it has tinue to create wonderful op- press our appreciation to been! Reid Griffin, Bonnie portunities for bluegrass lov- members of the DBA who Lohman, Doc Reifschnieder, ers. They organized the have served generously in Charlie Sides, and Marshall Goldwing concert, which was promoting bluegrass in the Vest continue to coordinate a lot of work for them and a Southwest. A special thank terrific jams. Marshall set up you to Steve and Marilyn th great success for all. Rich two 17 Street Market work- and Bill have also started a Hulbert, who once again shops. The first was guitar monthly Saddlebrooke work- created a beautiful plaque instruction with nationally for the occasion. shop and jam that was enthu- known flatpicker, Greg Mor- siastically attended by a large In the last newsletter I told ton. The second was with audience. As we go to print you about a possibility that Danielle Bettencourt, ranked we are preparing for one of we would no longer be do- as one of the best my annual favorites - the ing an annual festival. This players in America, who has Tombstone campout that was was related to two develop- performed with organized by Bill and Cindy ments. One – Mike, Geoff, and John McEuen. This Paul. and Bonnie, who have coor- month’s workshop (April th Beautiful Bonnie set up a dinated the event for the past 17 ) will be with leg- 10 years, have understanda- end Andy McCune and on performance at a graduation th ceremony at the Salvation bly gotten tired. Secondly, May 15 , the phenomenal we lost our venue at the De- Tim Weed will be doing an Army for students who had successfully gone through a sert Diamond Casino. Now advanced banjo workshop. the good news. After a se- Did I mention these work- six-month drug recovery pro- gram. This was particularly ries of meetings, a number PAGE 2 GRASS CLIPPINGS VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 -OFFICERS-

President: "Doc" Simpson (520) 298-9746 [email protected]

Vice President: Charlie Sides (520)579-5918 [email protected]

Secretary: Mike Headrick (520) 760-0745 [email protected]

Treasurer: Barbara Van Hoesen (785) 979-6177 [email protected] -TRUSTEES-

Geoff Fox (520) 731-3601 [email protected]

Bonnie Lohman (520) 296-1231 [email protected]

Andy MacLeod (520) 237-9832 [email protected]

Jim (Doc) Reifschneider (520)290-6615 [email protected]

How to Contact the DBA

Newsletter Editor--Bonnie Lohman : For information concerning Letters to the Editor, Reviews, contributing newsletter articles, submitting Concert & Band Listing information Webmaster--Bill Trapp: For information concerning the DBA website www.desertbluegrass.org contact the webmaster at [email protected] Membership Secretary--Fran Riggs : To join the DBA, renew a membership or submit an address change, contact Fran via phone at (520) 490-4560, email [email protected] or snail mail 17247 E. Peach Tree Road, Mayer, Arizona 86333-4146 Publicity--Mike Headrick : Contact Mike at (520) 760-0745 or [email protected] Booking Bands--Bonnie Lohman : To book a DBA band for an event, phone 520-296-1231 or email [email protected] Advertising--Bonnie Lohman : To purchase advertising in our newsletter, contact by phone or email MEMBERSHIP DISPLAY ADS PRICES

1/4 PAGE--$25 PER ISSUE, $100 ANNUAL 1/2 PAGE--$40 PER ISSUE, $160 ANNUAL FULL PAGE--$60 PER ISSUE $240 ANNUAL CLASSIFIED ADS $5 FOR 5 LINES OR LESS DBA members free space permitting

The opinions expressed in the DBA newsletter are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of the Desert Bluegrass Association, is staff or members. Reviews, concert listings, band announcements and advertising are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement by the Desert Bluegrass Association. In the event of an error, our liability is limited to printing a correction. Copyright 2010,. All Rights Reserved. VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 GRASS CLIPPINGS PAGE 3 FESTIVAL UPDATE

Hi Bluegrass Fans,

In the last issue of Grass Clippings I reported that Desert Diamond Casino had decided not to host our 11 th Annual Bluegrass Festival and that we were looking for a new venue. After evaluating 14 possible venue sites and visiting 8 of those sites, we have completed our search and have a wonderful new site for the festival – the AVA amphitheater owned by the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. The AVA amphitheater is a lovely facility designed for concerts with up to 5,000 attendees. As such it has everything that we need already in place. There are 1800 theater style seats under a roof with room for 2700 more on a grassy berm. There are restrooms, vendor space, a secure perimeter, dressing rooms, a stage large enough for a Broadway Production and more. Free RV camping will be in a dedicated area of the parking lot adjacent to the amphitheater. There is even a grassy area for tent campers although tent stakes are not allowed due to the underground irrigation. The AVA amphitheater is located on Valencia Road approximately 6 miles west of I-19. It is adjacent to Casino de Sol but is totally self-contained. This is a wonderful venue for continuing our

Annual Festival of .

So, our 11 th Annual Bluegrass Festival will be held October 29-31,2010 at the AVA amphitheater . Mark your calendars now and make your plans. We will have additional information regarding bands and activities in future issues of Grass Clippings and on our website. Mike Headrick

of volunteers have stepped aside a half hour for instru- Tough times quiet down a lot up and dedicated their ser- ment instruction, where the of the noise in our lives and vices. Secondly, after an ex- experienced players work remind us of the deeper tensive committee search with the students. I would things – family, friends & headed by Mike Headrick, like to invite intermediate- faith, the privilege of living in we have found a new loca- to-advanced players to the greatest nation on earth, tion at the AVA Amphithea- come out to help the new- the pleasure of spending time

ter. More details to come! bies learn. I promise you, it with a loved one, and enjoy-

I have a personal request. is worth your time. ing simple, honest music. So, Every Monday night we The people in our nation are check out this issue of the have been doing a beginner’s going through some tough DBA newsletter. The next workshop at Christ Commu- political and economic two months are packed with nity Church from 6:30 to times. Seems like there’s a exciting bluegrass events. I 8:30 pm. The class has lot of anger and discourage- encourage you to join us for a really grown – we average ment out there and gloom whole lot of friendship and 35-45 “newbies” each week. all around us. So let me fun. It helps to have experienced close by repeating what I Keep on the grass, players come as well. We set said in the last newsletter. “Doc” Simpson PAGE 4 GRASS CLIPPINGS VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1

Save the Date for a Celebration of Friends, Great Websites A benefit for Craig Tinney. Check 'Em Out!

Desert Bluegrass Many of you may already know that long-time Associatiom www/desertbluegrass/ supporter of traditional music and a fine musician to org boot, Craig Tinney, was involved in a catastrophic motor vehicle accident this past November. To help Bluegrass Arizona Blog: defray the overwhelming amount of uncovered www.bluegrassarizona. medical expenses, a group of friends is sponsoring blogspot.com this benefit to celebrate the power of music and Banjo: www. friends. banjohangout.org

When: Sunday, June 13, 2010, 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. Fiddle: Where: Temple of Music & Art, Tucson. wwwlfiddlehangout.com

There will be 8 local and regional bands in concert in Dobro: www.reso- nation.org or the main theater. There will be contra and square www.resohangout.com dancing in the Cabaret Theater. There will be a silent auction, raffle, special t-shirts, food and more! Come Bass: www. for an hour or stay all day. It's a party of friends who bluegrassbassplace. wish to help "one of our own" in this time of need. com More details to follow. Daily Dose of Bluegrass;www. Questions? Contact Jerry Weinert (520) 731-6001 or bluegrassonthetube. Beth Judd (520) 6096167. com

Instruction

Bill Breen Scruggs style banjo by ear. 520-544-2418 www.banjohangout.org/myhangout/music.asp Corrine Cortese Fiddle lessons 520-235-3199 Rudy Cortese Banjo lessons 520-954-2103 Peter McLaughlin Flatpick & bluegrass guitar: Beginner & advanced 520-529-2992 Mike Purdy Guitar & 520-318-0659 J.P. Thom-Gronachan Banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, theory 520-682-6201 Mike Wallner Banjo, Scruggs, melodic & clawhammer 520-327-8259 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 GRASS CLIPPINGS PAGE 5 Associations Jams Bands All DBA sponsored jams and Arizona Bluegrass Association performances are listed Bear Canyon Ramblers 7257 N. 50th Dr. separately on the enclosed Marilyn 520-760-0479 Glendale, AZ 85301 calendar and the DBA website at [email protected] Rick Rhodes--Chair www.DesertBluegrass.org www.bearcanyonramblers.com

623-435-8406 Email: Bluegrass In Casa Grande Cadillac Mountain [email protected] Traditional Accoustic Bluegrass Corrine 520-235-3199 www.azbluegrass.org Jam. 1st Saturday of each month Crystal Ridge International Bluegrass Music 6:30 - 9:30 Brian Davies 520-297-4225 Association (IBMA) Info: Klyle Stall (520) 421-2596 www.musictucson.com

207 E. Second Street Owensboro, KY 42303 Dusty River Boys 502-926-7891 Mary Ann McCracken 520-977- Southern AZ Old Time Fiddlers 8113 So. Arizona Old Time Fiddlers Assn. Southwest Community Center Association Flint Hill Special 3020 W. Avenida Cresta Cardinal Ave, Tucson, AZ Glen Wilbourn 928-634-8411 Tucson, AZ 85745 Tuesday 7 PM Info: Wilbur 520-743-7086 Info: Wilbur 520-743-7086 Gold Rush Jan or Mike 480-982-4938 Tucson Friends of Traditional Music Tradition Acoustic Bluegrass Headline Bluegrass Band Info: 520-408-6181 Jam Sessions Bill Cox 480-208-5217 www.tftm.org Tempe, AZ www.myspace.com/ Wednesday 7-10 PM headlinebluegrass Tucson Harmonica Club Please call for confirmation of Info: 520-887-2148 dates Los Hombres Info: Howard or Susan Kenny Erickson 520-235-7473 Tucson Kitchen Musicians 480-897-7425

Association Peter Mc Laughlin 520-529-2992 PO Box 26531

Tucson, AZ 85726 Catalina Mountain Chapter of www.tkma.org the AZ Old Time Fiddlers The Bost Family Tradition Jeff Bost 520-432-5053 Association Tucson Old Time Music Circle 3rd Monday at 7 PM [email protected] [email protected] Info: Laura 520-743-9491 The Busted Cowboy Band Jim Koweek 520-455-5387 CLASSIFIED ADS Events Titan Valley Warheads

For Sale Ed Davenport 520-622-3699

Way Out West D41 Martin guitar, 1999, excellent Emmy Creigh 520-323-0704 The Bluegrass Radio Show with shape Milo Whistle Stop Saturday 10 am - 12 noon F5L Gibson mandolin 1999 Carol Pearse 623-780-8414 KXCI 91.3 FM Bill 520- 648-3224 [email protected] 520-622-5924 requests http://www.myspace.com/ Student cello with bag and bow. whistlestopbluegrass Bonnie 520-296-1231 One or more player must be a member of the DBA to list your jam or band. PAGE 6 GRASS CLIPPINGS VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1

THE DUSTY RIVER BOYS

AT Nimbus on January 29, 2010 Marilyn Ryan Hulbert

The Dusty River Boys stepped up to the mics, dressed in black pants, black vests and white shirts - looking great! These guys look authentic because they are! Rudy Mamula played the bass - we’re used to seeing him on every other instrument - fiddle, mandolin, guitar, but he owned the bass for this show. His voice sounded good as he sang lead and harmony with and many times, sang duos with his brother, Sam. Rudy sang one of his original songs “Three Steps” and the audience cheered. Bill Paul introduced us to his one-of-a-kind banjo head with the “Martha White Flour” design. He’s got the one and only, and he gave us some history on his aquiring it. His playing is strong, perfectly appointed and his singing voice matches his banjo style and blends well with the other band members. Bill has the perfect old-timey bluegrass announcing voice, and takes us back to the 1940’s when he speaks. Sam Mamula, Rudy’s brother, played guitar and mandolin and his voice was clear and melodic reminding me of Dudley Connell, who was the lead singer with the Johnson Mountain Boys and is now with the Seldom Scene. I sat through many rain storms to hear Dudley sing, and I’m sure, in the future, we’ll be sitting through storms to hear Sam sing in his inimitable way. He and Rudy did some killer “brother harmonies” reminding us of the tunes we love from the Louvin Brothers. Irv Wright’s resophonic guitar playing is always full of fire, and Irv jumped up to the mic and surprised us with a few songs.

The fiddler, Dean Brunner, “tore up” “Orange Blossom Special” and performed a beautiful “Jole Blon”, singing in a deep and resonant voice, and playing his fiddle in the “Cajun” way. Great fiddlin’ all through the show.

A few of the songs performed were “Kentucky Girl”, “Ruby Ridge”, “Dim Lights Thick Smoke” (Irv does a great job on this one), “Just as the Sun went Down”, “I don’t Believe You’ve Met My Baby” (Louvin Bros.), and “Rain and Snow”. This band knows when to play, when to lay back and give each instrument it’s turn, how to harmonize, and how to make a variety of song choices to please any audience. To say the sound at Nimbus is challenging, is a huge understatement - high ceilings, music bouncing everywhere, & lots of chatting, but as some early dinner patrons cleared out, it was much easier to hear the music. The audience gave the band standing ovations. We sat right up front so we could hear as well as possible and see the flying fingers and handsome faces of the “Dusty River Boys“! VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 GRASS CLIPPINGS PAGE 7 TURQUOISE AWARD ANNUAL TUCSON THANK YOU FOLK FESTIVAL

The Annual Tucson Folk Festival will be held at El On February 13, at the Goldwing Precidio Park on May 1st & concert in Saddlebrooke , I was 2nd. Saturday festivities will called on stage to receive the run from 12 noon to 10 pm and second annual Desert Bluegrass Sunday from 11 am to 9 pm. Association Turquoise Award. Mike Headrick, last year’s The Bluegrass Gospel sing a recipient, presented me with the long will be held Sunday, 11 am plaque. at the workshop area. Follow the arrows on the sidewalk. I feel truly honored to be selected to receive this award. In addition to the recognition of the award, the plaque itself Please plan to come and is a lovely work of art. The plaque is a midsection slice of support the bluegrass portion of mesquite with a huge rock of turquoise attached to the the Folk Festival. Bring an face. instrument, your gospel singing voice, or simply come and It will hold a place of honor in my home and in my heart. listen on Sunday morning.

Thank you to the DBA for bestowing upon me this honor. For further information, call I will cherish it. Eden at 520-299-3819.

Bonnie Lohman

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST DBA MEMBERS

Orval "Pete" Hamman Tucson Bob Olden Green Valley Ed McCauleg Mammoth James Kersten Tucson Harlan Pilon Waukesha, WI Bill & Susan Heiss Casper, WY Mike Purdy Tucson Bill Wasinger Tucson Gene & Jolene Berg Tucson Rich Guarisco Arizona City Jeff & Pamela Bost Bisbee Bud & Judy Konopaski Green Valley Bill & Bridget Lach Catalina Jerry Taylor Tucson George & Silvia Gillberg Tucson/Cable,WI PAGE 8 GRASS CLIPPINGS VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 PAGE 9 Celebrating the Cowboy, Big Jim Style

On February 25 our chief cowboy Jim Griffith was honored as La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros' 2010 Grand Marshal. The Tucson Meet Yourself Honor Guard was with Jim to celebrate a great day saluting rich western traditions. Thousands lined the route. Our colorful honor guard flanked Jim's Grand Marshal Wagon, which was pulled by a beautiful matched pair of Appaloosa/draft horse crosses. There was a lot of waving and warm feelings. Jim played his banjo.

After his Grand Marshal wagon got through the route, Jim was escorted to the judges' stand to watch the rest of the Parade. According to Jim, the event was a wonderful expression of traditions in our local, multicultural ranching and horse communities.

Congratulations to Big Jim from the DBA!

FREE BANJO CLINIC Hosted by the Desert Bluegrass Association and The 17th Street Market

What : Two-hour clinic focused on bluegrass banjo. Bring your own banjo or use one from The 17 th Street Market Music store. Who should attend : Intermediate 5-string banjo players who would like to learn more about playing bluegrass style banjo. When: Saturday, April 17, from 2-4 PM . Where : The 17 th Street Market, 840 E. 17 th Street, Tucson, is located in the Armory Park Artist Warehouse District. Directions can be found on www.treasureshidden.com Our instructor is Andy McCune , a well known local musician and banjo teacher who plays with the Titan Valley Warheads at Lil' Abner’s Steakhouse on north Silverbell every Sunday night and at Frog and Firkin on the first Saturday of each month. Andy has been teaching banjo for over 30 years. The clinic will be interactive and tablature examples will be provided. Possible items to be covered (depending on the mix of attendees) include:

• Licks to add sparkle to your playing • Making the transition to improvising • Playing in C and D out of G tuning More Information : Marshall @ 907-9698 PAGE 10 GRASS CLIPPINGS VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 1 GRASS CLIPPINGS PAGE 11 Renew your membership, Get a directory

Hi DBA members,

A conveniently forgotten fact is that DBA memberships expire on March 1 of each year. So unless you joined for multiple years or unless you joined since November 1 of last year, your membership is due. Please take a moment, fill out the renewal form in this newsletter and mail it to Fran Riggs, our membership secretary. The cost is only $15 per year, which will keep you up to date on DBA activities and will help the DBA promote Bluegrass Music in Southern Arizona. As an added incentive, we have an updated DBA directory that we will e-mail to you when you renew your membership. The directory will be sent as a .pdf file – you may use it either as an electronic document or print it. The directory also includes a “pickers list” by instrument. To assure that you are included as a picker, list the instruments that you play on the renewal form. We can only send the directory to you if we have a current e-mail address. So if you have changed e- mail addresses, please include your current address. If you wish not to be listed in the directory, just check the “no” box on the form. So don’t delay, renew today.

Thanks Mike Headrick DESERT BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION NON-PROFIT ORG. 7878 E. Cloud Road Tucson, AZ 85750-2819 U.S. POSTAGE PAID TUCSON, ARIZONA PERMIT NO. 1830

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April/May 2010 Volume 15, Issue 1 A NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION 300 copies

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MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL FORM Membership dues for the Desert Bluegrass Association are $15 annually per family, due March 1st, and includes bulk mailing of the bi-monthly newsletter to each member. Members joining after November of any year will have their membership extended through the next year. Those joining before November must renew the following March 1st.

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Complete this form then mail it, along with your personal check or money order payable to Desert Bluegrass Association, to: Fran Riggs (DBA Membership Secretary) 17247 E Peach Tree Road Mayer, AZ 86333-4146